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Best Mexican dining bargain: El más sabor por su dinero

Gerardo's Restaurant

Gerardo's Restaurant3811 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, 510-531-5225

Gerardo's is a mom-and-pop operation, a taqueria that proves you can still get great food at great prices. Featuring buck-fifty tacos with the freshly prepared ingredients of your choice, huge burritos, or an avocado salad for $3.95, it's guaranteed to satisfy the hungriest and poorest among us. Gerardo and his wife, originally from Mexico, create a charming atmosphere characterized by red-checkered tablecloths and walls bedecked with pictures of bullfighters. Gerardo is a man of few words, but he takes pride in his work: Ask him how they can price the food so cheaply, he replies, "Keeping the prices like this is like keeping the place open." Having a party? You can get an enormous platter of enchiladas for $20, or flautas for $22, and they'll hand it to you with a smile. This joint makes you feel like there is still a generosity of spirit in the world, and you'd have to have a cold, cold heart not to gleefully throw a couple bucks into the tip jar.